Amarnath Attack: Here is All You Need to Know About the Terror Strike on Pilgrims

New Delhi: Within a span of five minutes on Monday night, terrorists attacked twice in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, killing seven and injuring 18 devotees who were headed to Jammu after visiting the Amarnath cave shrine. After varying reports on what transpired, a clear picture on how the terrorists attacked the bus carrying the pilgrims has slowly emerged.

Here, we answer all the questions you may have on the Amarnath Yatra terror attack:

What happened?

- At 8:15pm, three terrorists opened fire at a check post of STF, SOG & CRPF personnel in Khannabal near Anantnag. The security personnel fired back. There were no casualties.

- At 8:20 PM, the three motorcycle-borne terrorists fired at a chartered bus carrying at least 56 Amarnath pilgrims at Batengoo in Anantnag district. Batengoo is 65 km south of Srinagar.

Where was the bus headed?

The bus was going to Jammu. The pilgrims were returning from Baltal, one of the base camps of the Amarnath pilgrimage. The devotees had planned to visit Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra the next day. They left their hotel in Srinagar at 5:30pm.

Was the bus part of the convoy?

Yes. The pilgrims were travelling in the bus that was part of the convoy of vehicles taking the Amarnath pilgrims with adequate security, contrary to earlier reports claiming that the bus was not registered with the shrine board and was not part of the convoy.

How long was the bus under fire?

- The firing lasted for around 40 seconds. First it was attacked near Habba Khatun Petrol Pump, Batengoo, Anantnag.

- One of the terrorists fired at it from the right side of the vehicle. The driver moved the vehicle towards Sunji Automobile shop to dogde the terrorists.

- The bus again came under fire after a distance of 75 yards. People rolled on the bus floor one over another to evade the gunfire.

- The driver, Sheikh Salim Gafoor, kept running the bus for 2-3 km under continuous firing by terrorists. Around 50-60 bullets were fired in total.

Why was there a delay in the bus journey?

The ill-fated bus had a flat tyre, and hence, got separated from the convoy. It took an hour to replace the tyre and that caused the delay. In this time, the terrorists tracking the convoy took positions and attacked the bus.

What are the timings to be off the highway?

As per rule, the bus was to be off highway by 7 pm.

How many people were killed in the attack?

- Seven pilgrims were killed and 18 injured in the attack. Among those who died, five were from Gujarat and two were from Maharashtra.

- The casualties could have been much higher, if not for Sheikh Salim Gafoor Bhai, the driver of the chartered bus. He braved the hail of bullets and drove away from the scene. The lives of over 50 pilgrims were saved because of his presence of his mind.